On the Last Day of the Year 2014

Brooke E. Wayne: A Rom-Com Writer’s Ramblings

It doesn’t snow where I live because once every twenty or so years doesn’t count. A few miles up the highway, on the other hand, is a proverbial winter wonderland. Inspiration abounds as countless trees provide every breath of fresh air with a crisp sweetness, and the landscape beckons snow angels as soon as winter comes around…or so we thought when we squeezed in a day trip to the snow with the children today to close out 2014, and what I mean by snow is the hard ice in the shape of snow that blanketed the landscape like a twice-baked nail salon lacquer.

I’m pretty sure it made no difference to my children, though. As soon as they were slipping and sliding around on the illusion of snow, my seven-year-old found out the hard way that she didn’t need a sled to ride down the slope. Then, she kept on trudging back up the slight hill and riding it back down again on her bottom, laughing all the way. My four-year-old kicked and clawed with all her might through the crusty layer until she uncovered enough loose ice crystals she could scoop it all up and throw it over her head and pretend that it was snowing.

It made me think of how important it is to have that childlike determination to kick and claw my way through the illusion of the life of a romance novelist. Behind every well-penned line that can spiral a reader into her own kind of wonderland, any number of setbacks may have occurred for the author–rejection, revision, even a horrendous book cover. I am realizing that I have to be willing to slide down the pile of disappointments to come with realistic expectations as I am just beginning this adventure, and I know that I have to turn around and climb back up again with a smile on my face because the journey requires an attitude of childlike determination and joy if it’s going to be worth it, laughing all the way.